The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1887-08-13

sweet % his ear
Alas, though, they were heard by another
and stung him into frenzy
The cd farmer, who had come quietly uT
the other side Of the garden hedge, wondering
"what had happened the kic that Maggy wa'
SO long with the milk" just heard the last
words and stood transixed looking on the
little scene aSsuredly never meant for such
unsympathelic eyes to witness
| He himself had taken loves fever slightly
even in youth, and never had maiden tbrobt"d
with such delirious ecstasy Tor the sell re-
pressed, Puritanical man as thrilled his
daughter now, and showed M every line vi
the yielding figure clasped III kalph's young
arms.
| TIE sight shocked the old farmer terribly.
Not SO should modest maiden be wooed by
even the worthiest; and this lad, truly, is
none Of the best, aud like as not means no
good by the lass. That thought maddens the
old man He knows 10 little Of his own girl,
| with all his love for her, that he can couple
| 10 coarse thought with one whose nature "
pure as the sunlight though as warm.
Ho knows himself quite as little probably,
| Tor he mistakes the passionate resentment lie
feels entirely for yrtuous Indignation, though
il is more n great deal mere jealous fury
The worst sting Of all to him at the mo-
ment is that the girl is so happy. She has
forgotten kindergarten ali his troubles, his
loneliness, aud his years Of love aud care ut
the bidding Of this stranger lad
His voice shakes with emotion, and he
stamps his foot as his words reach Maggy' :
startled ear.
Get thee into the house, ye shameless
hussy! To think | should have seen my lass
take up with one no better nor a lazy loon
NAY, nay; not wordl | can never trust
ye mair ye deceitful bairnl Get 80 gone,
Ralph Irwin, and meyer dare to darken an
honest mans door again, ye SON OF II Jail
bird. Never so long as live shall 20 take
my lass in your arms again"
Ralph tried to speak; but the farmer, TAX
ing Maggy roughly by this shoulder, pushed
her into the house and slammed the door IN
the poor lads face.
Ralph turned away with a heavy heart.
Aaron Wilkinson h ii stabbed him cruelty,
His fathers brief imprisonment was ever
u ranking W und IN the memory Of one hon
orablc, brave, and fearless rs could be the in
herltOr OF even the most unsullird name.
Tho next week or two passed very YEARLY
10 Maggy.
Her father was sterner and more unap-
pronchablc than ever for his heart ached
with love and care and anxious thought,
He had nothing left but his child, and now
another had come between them.
Youth Graves for youth TO love again; and
age thrstS for the devotion it cannot win;
aud Nature must have her way, be the pain
meier So great, while ut the end Of all the
great dark shadow waits 10 lay its cold fin
gers on every murmuring lip and whisper
silence
The weather was wet and the girl
could get no excuse to meet her lover,
and escape her fathers watchful eyes, ami
the light faded from her wlstful face
The old man sighed when he saw it, He
wanted her TO be happy, only he wanted her
10 find her happiness in living for him alone;
and the cXacting love no bore her could be
satisfied with nothing less.
The rent day came at last, and the farmer
set or alone To the place appointed.
He had to walk, for the old gray mare had
been sold TO help to meet that days need;
and even his faithful dog was left behind at
home
Maggy stood gazing after the thin worn
figure rcgretiuly.
A great dumb pity was In her heart.
She knew all his care, all the bitter humilia
ton hc felt in prospect OF the ordeal he had to
60 through.
She loved him, poor child would fam have
taken the poor gray head in her hands, and
kissed the thin stern hips before he left, had
she dared; but the barrier that had been
raised between them kept her at n distance
She could not, would not, give up her
love to please him; and, alas' no smaller
sacrifice would content his exactng nature.
The day wore on YEARLY. She would not
take advantage of his absence to meet with
Ralph
To her high intuitive sense Of honor il
would have seemed mean to do so, when her
father was suffering SO deeply and had so
much to bear.
She wandered restlessly from kitchen to
parIor as the lonely hours passed.
Tho morning had been sunshiny md warm;
but toward noon heavy, ominous looking
black clouds rolled up from the west, and ere
long nll was iar~ overhead.
The blackncss dcepened, and strange OPP
preston was on all things, and an appalling
stiffness in the mir
The animals drew near the homestead, rs il
from fear; aud the dcsolate girl felt awed
and nervous.
Ere the afternoon was over the darkness
was deep rs night; then the stor II burst
Great flashes OF fire Illuminated at intervals
all the plain Purple and blue and crimson,
they flooded the earth with awful radiance,
then suddenly IN blazing hieroglyphics dartcd
across the darkened sky as though some Ii
tanic finger wrote some word Of doom upon
the blarkencd scroll, and tho wild fierce
thunder caught the meaning and echoed the
mystic language from side to side OF the 70
sounding valley.
Then the clouds broke, and the rain fell in
torrents. washing past the door
way in food. and binding the girl when
she tried TO pierce the darkness for sign OF
her fathers approach.
Again and again she looked in vain, AMI |
coming back, built up the fire and drew his
chair nearer the kindly blaze.
Yet he came not
As the hours passed Maggy grew strangely |
anxious.
The fury of the storm was over, but the |
rain continued 20 fall heavily.
She could hear the roar OF the brawling |
stream that fed the lake, and the moan OF the
wind across the plain but no sound Of foot
step nor human voice cbeered her anxious |